Curly Haired Cat Breeds

Since they are the longest-established curly haired cat breed, the German Rex is the first that has been organized into a breed. Their origins date back to the 1930s in the historically German city of Königsberg that is today a part of Russia known as Kaliningrad. The first German Rex kittens were born from a cross between a Russian Blue and an Angora cat during, with their wavy hair being attributed to a natural genetic mutation.

It wasn't until Germany during the 1950s that a specific interest in this type of fur arose. In order to perpetuate this curly trait, a naturally curly-haired female cat was crossed with a male of the Cornish Rex breed. This would be the beginning of the systematic breeding of the cat breed that we know today as the German Rex. However, it is known that curly-haired cats were already present in Germany, Russia and other European countries at least two decades earlier.

Before we go any further, it's worth making a brief clarification. You'll notice that several curly-haired cat breeds carry the term rex in their official nomenclature. This is not a coincidence, since it is a reference to the type of fur that distinguishes these cats. This does not mean all curly haired cat breeds are related. For example, the term is also used to refer to curly-haired rabbit breeds.

If you want to associate your adopted German Rex with their origins, you may want to check out our article on German names for cats.

Originally from Cornwall, England, this feline breed emerged spontaneously in the mid-1950s. Small to medium-sized, the Cornish Rex cat stands out for having a short, wavy and fairly dense coat. It is very soft to the touch, as this cat breed with curly hair does not have an undercoat.

Due to their energetic and playful temperament, these cats usually get along very well with children. They are also among the cat breeds that do not shed much hair, so they can often be better for those who suffer from allergies or respiratory problems.

Similar to the Cornish Rex, this breed of curly-haired cat also originated spontaneously, this time in nearby Devon during the 1960s. Its characteristic wavy or curly coat is the result of natural mutations, and all shades and color patterns are accepted.

In terms of character, the Devon Rex cat enjoys the company of their family members, with whom they will be extremely affectionate. They can be quite demanding and do not tolerate solitude very well. This can lead to the development of behavioral problems if they spend too much time alone such as destructiveness and separation anxiety.

Find out if your cat is anxious by checking out our related guide.

Despite bearing the rex name, the Selkirk Rex is quite different from these other breeds. First developed in the US during the 1980s, this breed has hair of a normal length which covers their entire body. Other types of Rex cats are known to have patchy hair afer they mature. This is possibly due to being first crossed with a Persian cat to develop the breed.

The striking curly hair of the Selkirk Rex covers their head and face, often providing a distinctive moustache. When Selkirk Rex cats have only one copy of their genetic variant, their fur is wavy. When there are two copies of this same variant, the hair becomes so curly that it can even take the shape of a corkscrew.

In addition, two individual variants of this curly haired cat breed are recognized which are categorized depending on the length of the fur. They are:

• Shorthair Selkirk Rex
• Longhair Selkirk Rex

These cats also attract attention for their size and robustness. They can reach up to 16 lb or more in some cases once they reach adulthood.

We have already stated that not all Rex breeds are genetically related and such is the case for the Ural Rex. According to genetic studies, they are not related to other curly haired cat breeds, resulting in a wavy coat which is of a different pattern.

The Ural Rex cat's coat is double-layered and is characterized by the presence of wavy curls that extend over the entire body, from the face to the tail. The final coat can take up to two years to fully develop. In addition, the following two varieties are recognized based on the length of the coat:

• Ural Rex Shorthair
• Ural rex Longhair

This feline breed is native to Russia, specifically to the Ural Mountains regio. Its presence has been recorded since the 1940s. Despite this, the first development program for this breed only began in 1988.

Our first curly haired cat breed not the bear the name Rex. Originally from the United States, the LaPerm is one of the rarest cats in the world. The first kittens were born in the early 1980s from a spontaneous cross between a male and a female native to a farm in the state of Oregon. Their peculiar name is a clear reference to their long and curly fur which gives them the appearance of a ‘perm’ haircut.

Due to their striking appearance and docile and obedient character, LaPerm cats quickly attracted the attention of American breeders. This was so much so that the breed already had its own club by 1997, the LaPerm Society of America (LPSA). Only a few years later, it was officially recognized by TICA (The International Cat Association).

Another interesting fact about the LaPerm is that the curly coat of the LaPerm cat is the result of the expression of a dominant gene. This is unlike the rex cat breeds mentioned here. In addition, they are considered hypoallergenic cats due to the relatively low levels of Fel d 1 protein which triggers allergies in humans.

Learn more about the types of hypoallergenic cat breeds and whether they are suitable for allergy sufferers.

The development of this breed began in the 1990s in the United States, originating from crosses between the Munchkin cat and the LaPerm. Today, the Skookum cat is considered an experimental breed by TICA.

Their curly hair can be short or medium-length, but these cats also stand out for their small size and short legs. This is because their bones are smaller than those of other feline breeds, which also leads to a reduction in body weight. In fact, an adult male of the Skookum breed rarely exceeds 6.6 lb.

Despite their small size, these cats are very active and often fearless, being able to climb and jump with great ease. For this reason, they need an enriched environment where they can exercise and entertain themselves without putting their well-being and the integrity of the home at risk. In addition, Skookum cats show an excellent predisposition to training, being able to learn a wide variety of tricks, commands and behaviors, as long as they are well motivated.

If you have adopted a curly haired cat such as the Skookum, you may want to know how to train a kitten if they respond well to education.

The story of the American Wirehair cat begins in a very similar way to that of the LaPerm. The first kitten was born from a spontaneous cross between cats living on a farm in upstate New York (USA). It was the only one of its litter to develop a rough coat. It is said that the owner of the farm came into contact with Joan O'Shea, a well-known local enthusiast of curly-haired cats, who bought the striking male kitten, whom she named Adam.

Many of the kittens born from subsequent crosses between Adam and female cats would be exported to Canada and the European continent, mainly in Germany. This helped the breed to gain some international notoriety.

Despite being recognized by the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) for several years, the American Wirehair remains a rare breed, even in its own native land. In fact, at the beginning of the 2000s, just over 20 new individuals were registered. It is also worth mentioning that the rough coat of this American cat breed is genetically dominant.

The American Wirehair can have many coat colors, including some being a type of orange cat breed.

The Tennessee Rex is one of the newest breeds of curly-coated cats, which started to gain recognition in the mid-2000s. Its discovery is often credited to Franklin Whittenburg, a Tennessee resident and cat lover who adopted a pregnant stray cat in 2004. This cat had an extremely shiny coat and gave birth to two kittens with curly, satiny fur.

Although Whittenburg had no professional knowledge of feline breeding and genetics, Franklin sensed that this type of coat was very unusual, so he decided to contact some experts. After several genetic tests, it was discovered that these cats not only possessed the recessive gene of Rex breeds, but also a unique and previously unknown mutation. This because highly sought after since it provided the satin effect.

This natural mutation had already been observed in some rodents, but never in cats. Today, we know that its manifestation in the Tennessee Rex cat leads to the presence of air pockets in each strand of hair, which refract light and produce the peculiar pearly or satiny effect.

As for character, Tennessee Rex cats are gentle, playful and tend to form a very close bond with their owners. They will demand pampering and attention quite frequently. For this reason, their ownership is not recommended for those looking for a more independent companion.

Now you know the different types of curly haired cat breeds, you may want to see the different types of dogs with curly hair.

Image: vetlexicon.com

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